LI Bao-Chun on Traditional Chinese Operas

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7/2 Xiao He

206 B. C., Liu Bang founded the Han Dynasty, and ended a two-hundred-year war period. Xiao He and Han Xin were great friends. They were the state’s founding heroes, and together they stepped up to serve this new dynasty. However, Liu Bang’s killing sword soon approached. Han Xin was challenged by Zhong Li-Mei, who served Xiang Yu. Then, Han Xin’s close friend, Chen Xi, committed treason. Again and again, Han Xin faced life-and-death situations. Again and again, Xiao He saved Han Xin; he even sacrificed his daughter’s love and his family’s lives. Until one night, Han Xin was summoned by Queen Lu Zhi into the palace…and Han Xin died. Xiao He was the envoy sent by the Queen to fetch Xiao He. Did Han Xin die willingly? Or did Xiao He wish him dead?

7/9  A Jade Cup Named Snow 

MO Cheng by LI Bao-Chun

LU Bing by LI Bao-Chun

MO Huai-Gu by LI Bao-Chun

TANG Qin by SUN Zheng-Yang

XUE Yan by ZHAO Qun

XUE Yan by CHANG Hsueh-Hung

YAN by YANG Yan-Yi

MO Huai-Gu by HUANG Nai-Qiang

QI Ji-Guang by LI Yu-Hsuan

WEN Lu by GAO Mei-Yu

WEN Hao by HUANG Yueh-Chen

Filmed on November 10, 2006, Novel Hall for Performing Arts, Taipei

Officer Mo Huai-Gu tried to help Tang Qin who made his living by mounting paintings by recommending him to Yan Song and his son Yan Shi-Fan. Tang Qin, who had his eyes on Mo Huai-Gu’s wife, Xue Yan, decided to frame Mo Huai-Gu. He suggested Yan Shi-Fan to ask for a jade cup named〝Snow〞 from Mo Huai-Gu, which was Mo’s family treasure. Mo turned in a fake cup when Yan Shi-Fan ordered a search for the cup at Mo’s mansion。The jade cup was in fact safely tucked away by a loyal servant, Mo Cheng.

Mo Huai-Gu decided to run away with his family, but they were captured and sent to Ji-Zhou State. The State Governor, QI Ji-Guang, was ordered to kill Mo Huai-Gu. Qi and Mo were friends, but Qi didn’t know how to save him. Mo Cheng, the loyal servant, took his master’s place. In return of the sacrifice, Mo Cheng asked Huai-Gu to take care of his son.

Tang Qin continued with his relentless pursuit, and vowed the severed head did not belong to Mo Huai-Gu. Xue Yan knew Tang Qin was after her, so she gave prosecutor, Lu Bing, a hint. Once she was given to Tang Qin, Tang changed his testimony and let Mo Huai-Gu go. Xue Yan killed Tang Qin on their wedding night and committed suicide. 

Years later, the Yan family lost their power, and those who had suffered their oppression finally got their justice. Mo Huai-Gu ran into Qi Ji-Guang when he went to visit Mo Cheng’s grave with Mo Cheng’s son, and the story of a loyal servant was finally revealed.

7/16 The Peacock Flies Southeastward

Jiao Zhong-Qing and Liu Lan-Zhi were married and in love, but Zhong-Qing’s mother tortured Lan-Zhi and force Zhong-Qing to divorce his wife. When the husband the wife parted, they vowed to stay single for each other, but Lan-Zhi’s bother forced her to re-marry Premiere’s son for a handsome betrothal gift. Zhong-Qing heard of the wedding date and wanted to see Lan-Zhi. On his way he met Lan-Zhi trying to escape. They drowned themselves together.

7/23 Wu Ze-Tian

In Tang Dynasty, Emperor Li Zhi ruled with his Queen, Wu Ze-Tian. Duke Luo Bin-Hong disapproved sharing the reign with a woman, and he started an uprise but was easily suppressed by Wu Ze-Tian. Wu Ze-Tian admired Luo’s achievements in education, so she pardoned him. A complicated feeling towards each other therefore existed till they were in old age.

7/30 Koo Cloud Live

An Escape from the Temple

《An Escape from the Temple》 is a beloved Kunqu episode. A young nun, Se Kong, was forced into the nunnery by her parents. One day she escaped from the temple. On her way, she ran into a young monk, Ben-Wu, who had just escaped from his temple. They helped each other seek the routes to freedom and decided to live happily together afterwards.

Wang Zhao-Jun Marrying Off

In the Han Dynasty, Wang Zhao-Jun became a concubine, but refused to pay off the malicious royal painter, Mao Yan-Shou. Her portrait painted by Mao was hideous, and thus, she was never favored by the emperor. One day, the emperor saw her playing pipa in her palace and was struck by her beauty and talent. The emperor at once made Wang Zhao-Jun a royal princess. Mao had to flee. He presented Wang Zhao-Jun’s portrait to the Chief of Hans and recommended a political marriage. The emperor of Han feared the Hans, Wang Zhao-Jun was therefore married off. This episode depicts how Wang Zhao-Jun, with her longing for the emperor and home, left behind the life she was used to. 

Capturing Gao Deng

Capturing Gao Deng is based on a chapter in the renowned novel “Water Margin”. Gao Deng, a bully, had forcefully taken a girl named Xu Pei-Zhu and hid her in Yan-Yang Tower. The girl’s brother Xu Shi-Ying hurried to save her with the help of Hua Feng-Chun, Qin Ren, and Hu Yan-Bao of the Water Margin. They got into Gao’s mansion, burned down Yan-Yang Tower and saved Xu Pei-Zhu. The actor who plays Gao Deng needs to be very good at Chinese Kung-Fu and skilled with different ancient weapons.